A family tour!

Had been on a family tour last week. Now let me clarify what I mean by family ( can mean anything). Not talking about the nuclear family of dad, mom and kids... I'm talking essesntially about generations... Grandparents... uncles & aunties.. cousins and even nephews... We were 14 of them cramped in a 9 seater visiting the most boring of the places ( temples - pilgrimage you can call it) in the scortching heat of south TamilNadu. But those were among the best three days I ever had. What fun it was to try to push each other around and try to sleep on each other..
To watch grannies cribbing at one corner about in -laws just round the other corner... eating together.. fighting with cousins for silly stuff.... playing anthakshari- if you can call it that we were actually shouting on top of our voices.. seeing elders relaxing .. coming out of their potrayed image and actually becoming kids.
Despite all the grudges that is essentially there, especially in a family as big as mine! it gives you a sense of security to know that you actually have such a family to care for you. I cannot describe the feeling of gratitude that I had when the entire 14 rushed and clogged around my dad when he hit himself : somewhere somehow in the sea in thiruchendur while having his sacred bath.. god knows how he managed to do it in a vast nothingness... ( He claims it was my curse). Blood was pouring down his nose and my adrenaline pumped upto great levels. But the sincerity I saw in those 14 faces washed away my panic ... I knew that they would take care. I realized what it means to be in such an Indian family. Who said family bonds no longer exists?????